According to Thomas Friedman, the world is becoming flat. This means that the world, as we know it, is shrinking. This is due to the globalization of the individual, through technological advances. It can be seen through many facets of life, from individual twitters and business software to education. One of the most influential observations of technology in education was Sugata Mitra’s Hole In the Wall experiment. Mitra placed a computer, in a hole in the wall, in a slum in India. He made it so only children could access it, and gave them no instructions on how to use it. Once the children learned how to use the computer, he added a molecular biology program to the computer, and the children learned that too. He proved that children can teach themselves, that they are self-motivated, and if left to their own devices they will learn, grow, and succeed. This has been shown time and time again. From a hole in the wall in India, to José López’s classroom in Mexico, this strategy of allowing students to collaborate with one another and teach themselves has worked.
(http://www.wired.com/2013/10/free-thinkers)
Globalization has changed the face of education, and the impact of technology in schools can be seen everywhere. Teachers today have computers and tablets in their classrooms. They can use their cell phones to check on students’ questions. It can also allow children to access information anywhere anytime. With all of this technology, a teacher can use a Flip Classroom model. Having the students watch the lesson at home, several times if need be, and then practice it the next day with fellow students and the teacher. We have also learned, through globalization, that the way we communicate with the world and each other is not, necessarily, the way we are teaching our students how to interact and communicate. This understanding is changing the landscape of education from lectures and note taking, to one of multiple intelligences and student collaboration.
Education, as we know it today, was originally designed and set up during the Industrial Revolution, and therefore, still has some of those values influencing it today. Slowly, we have learned that education must change as the world changes. Using these old methods, in today’s world, will not work. Our world is becoming more technologically advanced and more globalized. Teaching children in rows of desks without stimuli or discussion when they live in a world of iPads®, smart phones, and Netflix® is not logical. We cannot expect the children of today to learn this way. As a teacher it is important to remain flexible and open to new teaching strategies, to be aware of the world around us, and to adapt our teaching to fit the world we live in.
Thomas Friedman discusses his book The World is Flat:
Sugata Mitra’s Ted Talk:
Sir Ken Robinson on education today:
the hidden pineapple 
I think our schools need to get on board to get more technology available so that the teacher can use these ideas in the classroom. The problem is that many of our school were also built for the way teaching used to take place and it is difficult to bring technology into the classroom when there is not even wifi in the room to be able to use a cart of chrome books on a campus. Hopefully the schools will catch up soon so that our students will be able to catch up as well.
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I agree! It is very difficult to teach using this model if you do not have the technology available.
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I strongly believe our educational school system needs to be redesigned. Many times we blame the teachers for not having the technological knowledge, but many times is not their fault because they are to busy trying to teach by the test. Because it they do not teach by the test, the students will not going to perform well in standardized tests. Why do we do this to our children? Maybe we should look somewhere else. According to the article, A radical Way of Unleashing a Generation of Geniuses, Joshua Davis, and the video, Changing Education Paradigms, illustrate that we have an education that is modeled on the interest of industrialization and in the image of it. What can we do to change this model? I totally agree with you when you said that education must change as the world changes, but how?
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I got too much into the videos and their content that I forgot to congratulate you for an insightful Blog. Well Done!!
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I love Sir Ken Robinson! His view of education today is right on. I believe that if we don’t change our way of thinking, which includes utilizing technology in our classrooms. Thank you for your informative post.
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I loved Mitra’s hole in the wall expirement. It was amazing to read that the children were able to figure it out. I think many times it is assumed that children do not enable the intelligence of certain dinamics but this experement clearly showed other wise. If children are not given the opportunity and resources they are not given a chance. By default they being oppressed. I wish everyone could see the big picture, and move forward. Changing our schools will take time, but it will make a great difference to so many children.
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